Sunday, May 9, 2010

Marina's Visit

Marina came to London and rented an apartment near St. Pancras Church for two weeks with her friend Jill. Because Jeffery hadn't been to London yet and we both missed Marina, we hopped on a train three days after we got back from Italy.

We arrived at her apartment at about 10pm, and were greeted with kisses and cake, fresh apple juice and chocolate. The next day we saw three art museums: the National Gallery, Tate Britain and a Botanical drawing exhibit we stumbled into at Westminster Central Hall to avoid the London Marathon madness.




I have been to London three times, but I have never walked to Parliament from this direction.

(photo credit: Jeffery)


(photo credit: Jeffery)

That afternoon, we shopped for ingredients and feasted on fresh pasta primavera, salad, garlic bread, and two kinds of ice cream: coconut and lime, and Belgian chocolate. Mmm!

Jeffery and I came back to Norwich after two nights in London, and the next day Marina joined us. This is the garden we stumbled across on the way home from the train station. That night I took her to my old flat, where we had a Mexican fiesta, and where she was challenged to a game of Scrabble, which she loved.


She was explaining something to me. I have a difficult time listening when I'm taking photos. I should really work on that.


The next day Jeffery and Marina met me at school after my class and we took a walk to the lake, where we saw bunnies and ducks.



(photo credit: Jeffery)


Isn't she lovely? We had such a great time. That night I cooked butternut squash lasagna and spinach salad and invited three of my football girls around. The next day I had my final class, so Jeffery walked her to the train station after we went to Norwich Castle, which Marina painted a watercolor of. Love you Marina! I am so glad I got to share a little part of England with you.

Rome

We arrived in Rome and headed strait for the forum.










The next day we saw "everything" else.



View from the Spanish steps.

Trevi Fountain


Pantheon




Vatican City








There were citrus trees fruiting all over the city...


...and cats living in with the ruins.

On what we thought was our last day in Rome we visited Villa Borghese and gardens.

I thought this was going to be that last shot I took of Rome.

Had it not been for the Icelandic ash cloud grounding all European flights, we would not have had this beautiful day:











Then we got caught in a thunderstorm and were drenched to the bone. It was epic.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Florence

From Milan we took a train to Florence, through Tuscany: flashes of mountains and countryside and terraced olive tree orchards sprang up around us as we weaved in and out of tunnels. It started to really look like Italy, or what I dreamed Italy would look like.






It's possibly the most beautiful place I've ever been.


Walking along the river on this night, Jeffery asked me to marry him.



This was one of my favorite places in Florence. La Piazza di Santa Croce.









I can't wait to go back!